Bidirectional non-conducted serial data transmission, by means of electromagnetic waves from the infrared wave band, continues to increase in significance. Thus, for instance, in applications such as data transmission between a personal computer and its peripheral components.
For remote control applications, devices are available on the market--and known from DE 42 12 948', which also comprise, in addition to an infrared receiver, an amplifier IC amplifying the photo-electric current of the receiver, as well as further passive components such as capacities and resistors. This known device therefore comprises all analog components required for reception and evaluation of the IR remote control signals. It is built up in lead frame technology, that is all chips and passive components will be mounted in a single level or plane onto a lead frame.
The specialist now faces the task to define a semiconductor device for optical data transmission, which device comprises in one common architecture all necessary functions such as transmission, reception, and amplification, features small dimensions, and where the mutual interference of the chips involved will be minimized.